Venezuela Asks UN Security Council to Probe Incidents Involving US Spy Planes

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The government of Venezuela has sent a letter to the UN Security Council asking it to investigate incidents involving US spy planes and naval assets in Venezuela's air and maritime space, the country's envoy to the United Nations Samuel Moncada told reporters on Tuesday.

"In that letter, we relate how the US government is provoking military incidents in Venezuela by sending spy planes into the flight information region without any warning," Moncada said.

Moncada pointed out that the US Southern Command has so far sent airplanes into Venezuela's airspace 55 times.

The diplomat also accused the United States of "showing muscles against Venezuela by sending military assets" in the country’s territorial waters and promoting economic terrorism against Venezuela.

Moncada said the United States is trying to manufacture a war, but warned that militarization of relations with Venezuela is dangerous.

The Venezuelan government is asking the UN Security Council to exercise its power to investigate any threats to the peace in region, Moncada said.

Earlier on Tuesday, US President Donald Trump issued an executive order to freeze all assets held by the Venezuelan government in the United States, including those of the Venezuelan Central Bank and the state-run PDVSA oil company.